Fraser's Ridge
Fraser's Ridge is a tract of land in western North Carolina. Its proprietor, Jamie Fraser, lives there with his extended family, and by 1779 there were upwards of 60 tenant families living on the land. It covers about ten thousand acres. History When Jamie and Claire arrive in Wilmington, they discreetly set about finding a buyer for one of their gemstones, in order to turn its value into cash that they can use. While in town, Jamie encounters a cousin-by-marriage, Edwin Murray, who happens to be the secretary of Governor Tryon's wife, and Jamie manages to secure an invitation for Claire and himself to dine with the governor. The true goal of the night is to persuade a wealthy German guest at the dinner to purchase the gemstone, but after the rest of the guests have left the party, the governor has a private conservation with Jamie (on which Claire eavesdrops) about another matter: an offer of a land grant in the North Carolina wilderness where, under Jamie's sponsorship, tenant families would be induced to settle and work the land. It's an offer not without its drawbacks. As Jamie explains to Claire later, the reason the governor might make such an offer to Jamie so soon after meeting him, might include the fact that Jamie is a soldier by nature and experience, and having someone like Jamie with a certain amount of control over remote areas of the colony, where unrest has already bubbled up in the past, would be very beneficial to the governor. Jamie also notes that, even though the governor waved off the fact that Jamie is Catholic and the law allows only Protestant men to hold such land grants, this would be a sort of leverage the governor holds over Jamie – as long as Jamie complies with what the governor wants of him, there's no problem, but if Jamie doesn't, the governor could easily use it against him. In late summer of 1767, Jamie and Claire travel through the wilderness for a suitable place to settle, if they were to accept Tryon's offer. By September, they begin building shelter in the form of a one-room cabin, in which Jamie, Claire and Young Ian will live through the winter. They also construct two sheds, one for storing and curing meat, and another for Claire's herbs and other foraged goods. When John Quincy Myers returns with Duncan Innes and additional supplies, they help the Frasers bless the hearth of the cabin. By late 1770, the Ridge had more than thirty families inhabiting the land under Jamie's sponsorship. The Big House In 1769, when Brianna surprises both of her parents with her arrival, Jamie sets to work building an additional room onto the original cabin while they work on building the new, much larger house on a hill nearby. Construction is delayed by several months following the tumult of rescuing Roger from the Iroquois. Upon their return in early summer of 1770, Jamie continues work on the house, his progress spurred on by the cramped, tense conditions in the small cabin. By autumn it is complete, a two-story "modest frame house, white-washed and shingle-roofed" with glass windows. Residents Frasers, MacKenzies and Murrays *Jamie and Claire Fraser (since 1767) *Brianna and Roger MacKenzie **Jeremiah MacKenzie **Amanda MacKenzie *Ian Fraser Murray and Rachel Murray **Unnamed son (born 1779) *Jenny Murray (since 1779) *Fergus and Marsali Fraser (1768–1774) **Germain Fraser (1768–1774; since 1779) **Joan Fraser (1770–1774) **Félicité Fraser (1772–1774) **Henri-Christian Fraser (1773–1774) Ardsmuir Men and their Families *Evan and Mrs. Lindsay **Bobby **Grace **Hugh **Caitlin *Kenny and Rosamund Lindsay *Murdo Lindsay *Ronnie Sinclair *Geordie and Margaret Chisholm **Geoffrey **Charley **Thomas (born 1762) **Anthony (born 1764) **Toby (born 1765) **Twin boys (born 1767) *Robert MacLeod, with wife and children *Alex MacNeill *Robin and Ute McGillivray (since 1771) **Manfred McGillivray and Hepzibah (since 1775) **Hilda McGillivray **Inga McGillivray **Senga McGillivray *Thomas Christie (1771-1775) **Allan Christie (1771-1776) **Malva Christie (1771-1775) Fisher-Folk from Thurso On arrival, numbering twenty-two families, with seventy-six individuals *Hiram and Mairi Crombie *Grannie Wilson *Buchanans *Orem McCallum and Amy McCallum Higgins (since 1773) **Aidan McCallum **Orrie McCallum (born 1773) *Padraic and Hortense MacNeill **Angelica **elder daughter *Abernathys **Old Grannie Abernathy **Young Grannie Abernathy **Arabella Abernathy ("Grannie Belly") **Hugh Abernathy **Jocky Abernathy Other Residents *Arch Bug and Murdina Bug (1770–1776) *Lizzie Wemyss (since 1769) *Josiah and Keziah Beardsley (since 1770) **Rodney Beardsley (born April 1775) **Daughter (born March 1777) **Son (born ca. 1778) *Joseph Wemyss and Monika Berrisch Wemyss *Billy and Ruth Aberfeldy **Ruth Aberfeldy *Obadiah, Anne, and Kate Henderson *Bobby Higgins (since 1776) *Frances Pocock (since 1779) *Older Mr. and Mrs. Ogilvie''A Breath of Snow and Ashes'', Chapter 58 *Younger Mr. and Mrs. Ogilvie **Rogerina (born 1774) *The MacAfees **Rab McAfee **A few other boys *Isaiah Lachlan **Jacky Lachlan *Mrs. Coinneach *The MacDonaldsA young married couple, living "up the Ridge a way" (Written in My Own Heart's Blood, Chapter 138) *Widow MacDowall Location Diana Gabaldon has said that Fraser's Ridge probably lies within ten miles of or .Compuserve Books and Writers Forum – Diana Gabaldon folder Surrounding Towns References Category:Locations Category:Fictional Locations